7-12 Planetarium Lesson: How Do We Know? Theme: Scientific knowledge is ever evolving. Our solar system, galaxy, and universe can be better understood through observation and the scientific process. Goals: • Students will understand that scientific knowledge changes over time. • Students will understand that scientific advancements, including those in astronomy, depend on curiosity and a broad knowledge base. • Students will understand the importance of acute observation and will have a desire to observe the sky. • Students will view UAF as an option for continuing their own education. Objectives: • Students will learn that most objects in the sky have apparent motions that are predictable. • Students will be able to describe how gravitational attraction affects planets and other bodies in orbit. • Students will know that the universe is expanding. Alaska Science Performance Standards/Grade Level Expectations: SA1.1 (7-12): The student demonstrates an understanding of the processes of science by asking questions, predicting, observing, describing, measuring, classifying, making generalizations, inferring and communicating. SD3.1 [8]: The student demonstrates an understanding of cycles influenced by energy from the sun and by Earth’s position and motion in our solar system by recognizing the relationship between the seasons and Earth’s tilt relative to the sun and describing the day/night cycle as caused by the rotation of the Earth every 24 hrs. The student demonstrates an understanding of the theories regarding the origin and evolution of the universe by: SD4.4 [9]: identifying the Big Bang Theory. SE3.1 [7]: The student demonstrates an understanding of how scientific discoveries and technological innovations affect our lives and society by recognizing the effects of a past scientific discovery, invention, or scientific breakthrough (e.g., DDT, internal combustion engine). SG 1.1 [9]: The student demonstrates an understanding of changes in historical perspectives of science by identifying those perspectives (i.e., cultural, political, religious, philosophical) that have impacted the advancement of science. SG3.1 [11]: The student demonstrates an understanding that scientific knowledge is ongoing and subject to change by investigating instances when scientists’ observations were not in accord with prevailing ideas of the time. SG4.1 [10]: The student will demonstrate an understanding that advancements in science depend on curiosity, creativity, imagination, and a broad knowledge base by recognizing the role of these factors on scientific advancements. Alaska Content Standards-Cultural Standards: UA Museum of the North, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 www.uaf.edu/museum/education Page 2 of 9 B2: Students make effective use of the knowledge, skills and ways of knowing from their own cultural traditions to learn about the larger world in which they live. E4: Students determine how ideas and concept from one knowledge system relate to those derived from other knowledge systems. UA Museum of the North, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 www.uaf.edu/museum/education Page 3 of 9 Outline: Outside the Dome • Introduce yourself. Say you are from Fairbanks & work at the University (UAF). • Explain a little about the project and why we are at their school today. • Explain what it will be like inside, how to enter and exit, the rules…etc. Introduction Inside the Dome • Introduce yourself and define astronomy. • Explain a little about how the planetarium works (laptop, projector, fisheye lens). • Talk about UAF. Mention the GI and Museum and include a little info about visiting campus or being a UAF student. Observing the Sky • Start with day sky. Watch sun & discuss how diff. here, why, etc. [sun’s path today and path in summer and winter] • Move to night sky & go over basics of night sky [night sky & const., etc] • Discuss observers over time . Culture bearers (Alaska Native Story) . Astronomers • These observers noticed how things change in the sky and what seems to be constant. Now we have more tools to help us in our observing. • Apparent movement of sun and stars • Movement of planets (“wanderers”) [planetary movement compared to stars & example of retrograde motion] ‘Explaining’ It • Process of hypothesizing and testing (for science) • Geocentric model [animated solar system in geocentric model] • Retrograde Motion [example of ret. motion] • Heliocentric Model [animated solar system in heliocentric model] . Society/religious pressures • Copernicus (early 1500s) • Kepler . Shape of planet’s orbit is an ellipse . Planets move faster when closer to the sun • Galileo (1600s) . Adv. of tech & knowledge . Venus . Moons of Jupiter [Obs. Jupiter with moons & Galileo’s sketches] • Newton (late 1600s) . Gravity helped clarify Kepler’s work . Law of gravitation: force attracting 2 objects proportional to mass & inversely proportional to distance from one another Our place • Solar system to galaxy. Review of solar system . Galaxy: aggregate of gas, dust and stars. Held together by gravitational forces. Milky Way has several hundred billion stars. [Milky Way from space] UA Museum of the North, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 www.uaf.edu/museum/education Page 4 of 9 • Galaxy to universe. All things in the universe have common origin (Big Bang). We are cosmic debris. Started 10-20 billion years ago. Solar System only ~4.5 billion yrs old. Universe still expanding • So far we seem unique but there is much to explore and discover! [back to Earth] UA Museum of the North, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 www.uaf.edu/museum/education Page 5 of 9 Starry Night Script: HOW DO WE KNOW? (7-12) Put the Computer into RED SCREEN MODE to help you & students see better in the planetarium. Put the UAF Logo on the screen before you get into the show. Introduction Introduce yourself and define astronomy: the study of the universe and the celestial bodies residing in it, including their composition, history, location, and motion. Explain a little about how the planetarium works (laptop connected to a projector with a fisheye lens). Talk about UAF. Mention the Geophysical Institute and Museum and include a little information about visiting campus or becoming a UAF student. (Click HERE to remove the UAF logo.) Observing the Sky Begin with a daytime view of an Alaskan sky from Fairbanks or preferably from your current location (Push apple-L to change location). Ask what they see and then discuss what they already know about the sun's path in the sky and how our view differs from more southern locations on the globe. SPEED UP TIME (3000x) and watch the sun set. Review why the sun appears to rise and set: because the earth is rotating on its axis every 24 hours. (STOP TIME) Contrast briefly with length of year & that this is because of orbit, not rotation. Review term orbit and rotation. Once you have a dark sky, you may want to make it artificially dark to enhance star viewing. TURN OFF DAYLIGHT Go over some of the basics of the Alaskan night sky. Explain how to describe locations of objects in the sky' by using the compass directions, horizon, zenith and degrees. Then, point out the big dipper (Ursa Major) and the north star. TRACE BIG DIPPER TRACE URSA MAJOR LABEL POLARIS If you wish to deselect the big dipper, etc: push apple-Y People have been watching stars and observing the sky for a very long time, even before sophisticated tools like the telescope. Through observation, looking up!, they learned to recognize patterns in the stars like these. They also learned how to recognize changes and predictable movements. Their explanations of these movements and the stories coming from different cultures varied. However, they all noticed how things change in the sky and what seems to be constant. So what do we know about movements in the sky? What happens to these stars if we advance time? UA Museum of the North, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 www.uaf.edu/museum/education Page 6 of 9 TURN OFF SATELLITES and then RUN TIME FORWARD (3000x) and watch the big dipper and Polaris. (STOP TIME) Just like the apparent rise and set of the sun, the stars appear to rotate throughout the night because of the earth's rotation on it's axis. So, movements can be observed in one night. Emphasize rotation on axis. Big Dipper Story: In circumpolar regions around the world, people have identified the Big Dipper with a type of deer; usually a caribou or reindeer. Inupiaq, Yup’ik, and Aleut people in Alaska have regarded the stars of the dipper as resembling one or more caribou. Koyukon Athabascans in interior Alaska have also regarded the Big Dipper as a deer, but instead of a caribou they notice a moose, which is also a member of the deer family. Across the Bering Sea in Russia, a group of people called the Chukchi who have a long tradition of reindeer herding have a story about the well known reindeer in the sky. The Chukchi say the reindeer is tethered to a post or nail star (Alq’pe’near). If you observe the sky, the reindeer can be seen throughout the night pacing a great circle around the star to which it is tethered. CARIBOU VIDEO What star do you think they call the “nail star”? Stars are also a source of stories from all around the world. TURN ON THE CONSTELLATION ILLUSTRATIONS. Culture bearers know these tales that translate history and traditions. The ones pictured here come from the Greeks and Romans and are now known by astronomers all around the world. TURN OFF THE CONSTELLATION ILLUSTRATIONS. ) Pleiades Story: Even though most of us only know the common Greek/Roman constellations, people throughout the world have different names for constellations unique to their own culture. Point out the Pleiades and ask the students if they know a name for this group of stars? The Pleiades is a group of hot, bright stars that form the brightest star cluster visible in the sky.